TRIBAL PROFESSIONALS COHORT (TPC) to participate in January in Tucson 2016. Each cohort includes four to six tribal professionals (current government officials, practitioners, and community members) who are interested in strengthening their tribe's governance.

TPC participants attend education sessions at IGP's January in Tucson and a minimum of two follow-up sessions to assist these practitioners in sharing and applying what they learn back in their communities.

Tribal Professionals Cohort participants receive funding to attend up to three January in Tucson courses. The academically rigorous courses offer leader-scholars innovative opportunities to learn from and forge meaningful connections with Indigenous leaders and governance practitioners from around the world.

Cohort members earn credit towards a Continuing Education Certificate in Indigenous Governance. Additionally, participants receive supplemental educational materials and will meet to debrief what they've learned with their cohort throughout the year.
 

2016 Tribal Professional Cohort members:

Eleanor YellowRobe (White Clay Gros Ventre) president for Native Assets Accounting;
Wayne Martin (Tohono O'odham/Navajo) vice chairman for Pisinemo District, Tohono O'odham Nation;
Rosa Long (Cocopah Indian Tribe) councilwoman for Cocopah Indian Tribe;
Adrian Dotson (Navajo) outreach specialist for ETD, Inc., and media relations partner for Rez Media.

"I wanted to learn more to better my people and this program pretty much presented ideas and education that is giving back. That's the path I'm working toward, the right path."

-Wayne Martin, Vice Chairman of Pisinemo District, Tohono O'odham Nation

"The courses gave me insight in different ways of how to govern. It's given me a different view from different aspects of different Indigenous countries who are dealing with almost same issues or possibly totally different issues but with one goal in mind and that is to protect our land, protect our culture, and most of all, most importantly, to protect our people."

-Rosa Long, Councilwoman for Cocopah Indian Tribe

"We hope to utilize the knowledge and network of the Indigenous Governance Program to help us in our work with the Navajo Nation and its communities. We also hope to continue to attend the program in the coming years."

-Adrian Dotson, Outreach Specialist, ETD, Inc.

NNI executive director, Joan Timeche, "The Native Nations Institute has long recognized that for Indigenous nations and communities to realize their political, economic, and community development objectives, they must have their 'political house in order.' The Tribal Professionals Cohort is designed to build Indigenous governance one person at a time."